A Dream Come to Life
by KCakaAlice
Summary: Edward Cullen is plagued by a recurring dream about the love of his life. The problem is, the girl from the dream, he's never actually met her.What happens when he thinks that maybe his dreams have turned into reality?
1. Chapter 1

_**Forgive me, I'm trying to find  
My calling, I'm calling at night  
I don't mean to be a bother,  
But have you seen this girl?  
She's been running through my dreams  
And it's driving me crazy, it seems  
I'm going to ask her to marry me  
The neighbors said she moved away**_

_**Funny how it rained all day  
I didn't think much of it then  
But it's starting to all make sense  
Oh, I can see now that all of these clouds  
Are following me in my desperate endeavor  
To find my whoever, wherever she may be**_

_It was raining, hard, and I was going door to door at an apartment complex. The rain was pelting me, dripping down my face and body, but I didn't feel it. I knew that it was early morning, maybe 2, but I was wide awake and frantically searching; searching for the brown-eyed girl of my dreams. In my mind, this girl's round face was staring at me, smiling, with the most amazing and tender look in her chocolate orbs. Her lips were pink and full and I longed to feel them against mine. _

_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK! I pounded on the next door. My heart was racing as I waited anxiously for the next disgruntled person to answer their door. _

_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK! I hit the door again with more force. Somewhere in my head I felt bad for waking these poor people up, but I had to find this girl. She was my life, my everything. It felt like I might collapse or crumble in on myself if I didn't find her. _

_A short, overweight, balding man opened the door. He looked livid at the disturbance my pounding had caused. I couldn't blame him but I didn't really care either. _

"_What the hell is wrong with you?" he yelled. "Its 2 in the morning! People are sleeping. _I _was sleeping."_

_His fists were clenched at his sides and he was turning redder with each word that passed his lips. _

"_I just need to know if you have seen this girl. I can't find her, I've looked everywhere." My voice was panicked and my eyes darted around for the elusive woman in my mind. "I really need to find her. Her name is…"_

_BEEP BEEP BEEP!_

My eyes shot open and my hand flew out to slam against my clock, effectively ending the annoyance. I buried my face deeper into my pillow and groaned. "Fuck."

I really, really hated that dream. I was depressed enough that at 27, both of my best friends were happily married and I was still regretfully on my own, sort of. It ticked me off to no end that I couldn't find that girl who was supposed to make everything perfect. I was just making do with the one I had right now.

Then, to top it off, I was having this terrible dream that reminded me just how much I wanted what it seemed everyone else had. It had been playing through my head on repeat for the last couple of months. I had about had it and I was quite close to ripping out every single strand of hair on my head. Maybe I would even do it one at a time, to prolong the process.

It was always the exact same too. The same beautiful girl, who I had never met, or even seen for that matter, was the object of my adoration. But who the hell was she? Her name never actually left my mouth in the dream. I was always interrupted by the alarm clock, or the fat man would slam the door in my face.

The apartments I was at were somewhere I had never been before. I woke frustrated every single time and I just wanted to know what it could all possibly mean.

With a defeated sigh I rolled over onto my back and relished in the comfort of my bed for a moment. I was trying to calm my nerves. Unfortunately, I rolled into something hard and quickly remembered my girlfriend had stayed over last night. Yes, I said girlfriend. She was around more so out of convenience than anything else.

Her name is Jessica. She's pretty enough, but nothing compared the girl from my dream. Jess is also highly annoying. Constantly fawning over me, overly affectionate, and it is really all I can do not to flip out her. To prove the point that Jess is nothing more than convenience...she cheats on me, regularly. Since I don't really care about her, I don't give a fuck about her indiscretions. They are just one more thing to remind me she isn't permanent. The infidelity also makes the over the top adoration that much more ridiculous.

I finally slid out of bed and glanced out of the window to find rain. It was the kind of pounding and unrelenting rain that had been in my dream; just another reminder of the damn dream.

I blindly turned on the shower and stripped down. My eyes avoided the mirror. I didn't want to know how bad I looked this morning. The warm water slipped over my stiff muscles and I massaged the soap into my skin. I washed my unruly hair and I could tell from the way my scalp felt that there would be no taming it today. While I toweled off, my eyes finally met the reflection of my face. There were bags under my eyes and I looked like hell. _Fantastic,_ I thought sarcastically.

I glanced at my clock, realizing I had taken entirely too much time in the shower, and panicked slightly. Late is not a place I like to be. I rushed through the rest of my routine; brushing my teeth with ridiculous fervor, and throwing on the first thing I could find. Rubbing some gel onto my hands, I ruffled my hair. I took one last look in the mirror and decided with a sigh that this, was as good as it would get today.

I looked at my bed as I came back to my room and Jess was still out cold.

"Jess!" I yelled. I gotta go. Get up."

She rolled over lazily and tried to smile at me. I ignored her and threw her clothes at her. What? She had to go and I surely wasn't leaving her alone in my place all day. I don't exactly trust her.

Two minutes later I pushed Jess out the door with my messenger bag in hand and hopped into my car. My beautiful baby Eva was the only girl that had never let me down. She was a 1967 Shelby Mustang, charcoal gray, and made the most amazing sound.

I roared down the familiar roads, making my way to my usual morning stop. They knew my name and my drink at the Starbucks close to my office. I really loved those people. They made sure my day went smoothly. Without the guided assistance from those wonderful beverages, I would be shit out of luck. Usually, they had my drink about ready when I walked in so I didn't have to wait. A man could get spoiled with that kind of treatment.

Parking quickly, I cut the engine and jumped out of my car before jogging inside.

"Hey, Edward! Late start this morning?" called Angela. She was by far the best employee in this joint.

"Yeah," I said smiling.

"Here you go," Angela handed me my Caramel Mocha.

I slid my card through the machine and pushed the right buttons to get out of there.

"Thanks, you're a doll," I winked at her before turning to leave. I am a cocky flirt and she's a cute girl so I find it hard to help myself. I had been out with her a few times before Jess and she was a fun girl, but that was about as far as my interest went.

"Bye, Edward," she called with a wave. I could tell she still liked me but it just wasn't going to happen.

On my way out of the store, I almost ran over someone while trying to check my phone. I looked up to apologize and ended up being too startled to speak.

The most beautiful girl I had ever seen stood before me with a perfect smile on her face. Her long brown hard matched her eyes and I felt like I was drowning momentarily, sinking slowly into their depths.

"Sorry," she said brightly.

"No, no it was my fault." I barely recognized my own voice as I struggled to form words. The tone was quiet and it wavered, nothing like me at all. "I wasn't paying attention. I'm sorry."

She laughed quietly and stared at me for a second. I couldn't look away or even make myself smile at her. But right now, I felt stuck, frozen, glued to my spot. This was even more unlike me. I normally have all the right words when it comes to a woman. Like I said, cocky flirt. Where the hell was that when I needed it?

Just then, my phone began ringing violently in my hand, breaking the spell we both seemed to be under. I jumped slightly and glanced at the screen. It was someone I didn't want to talk to right now, Cameron. I looked back up at her to excuse myself but she was already gone.

"Hello?" I answered, looking around for the brown haired goddess.

"Where the hell are you, Cullen?" Cameron barked. "You were supposed to have your article on my desk 45 minutes ago! How can I possibly print my paper when I don't have one of my front page articles?"

Just by the sound of his voice, I knew the veins in his neck were standing out and I laughed a little on the inside.

"Sorry, Cam," I was running out to my car, the mystery girl forgotten for now. "I'll be there, article in your hand, in ten minutes."

"Yeah, yeah, Cullen," and he hung up. That was Cameron's way. He tried to be gruff, no nonsense, and with everyone else it worked. I just didn't get scared that easily. Now, if I ever truly fucked up, I'd run for my life. Cameron doesn't mess around. Though I liked to act like he didn't faze me, I was slightly intimidated, even with me being a good four inches taller. There was no denying the rage on his face when things didn't go his way.

Cam is by boss at the Lewisville Leader, the local paper in Lewisville, TX, where I am a journalist and I absolutely love my job. It is fast paced and exactly the environment I thrive in. It is also really great that I can dress casually and spend my day writing while being paid for it.

Because I was so late traffic was nonexistent and I got to the building faster than I had promised to Cam. Whipping into my parking space, I threw the car into park and pocketed my keys. I took my bag and coffee with me and sprinted the stairs up to the 3rd floor. The door burst open with the force of my hand and I took my article out of my bag as I walked through the office. People were staring because of the noise I made, oh well. Cameron was waiting at the door to his office with his arms crossed, staring me down.

I smiled widely at him, in spite of the mood he was now in due to me, and handed him my article. Flattery gets me everywhere.

"I do believe that was less than ten minutes." I _almost_ winked at him but he's not a woman and I didn't want to push my luck too far.

"Uh huh. Well you better fucking hope its print worthy because we don't have time for you to fix anything," he said quickly. He was still threatening me but he knew damn well that my article was perfect. It always was.

"You know as well as I do that the article is fine, Cam," I said backing away.

He ignored me, keeping his eyes glued to the paper in his hands as he slammed his office door. I just smiled and turned to face the office. Everyone was glaring because I got away with stuff and they were on a leash. But hell, I'd been here five years and never once did I turn in something that had to be given back to me for corrections. Cam knew he could trust my work.

I sat down at my desk, still smiling, and turned on my computer. Time to work on my next story. Cam wanted me to write something up about the recent surprising election in Massachusetts. Politics wasn't my favorite topic but I did what I was told.

Tyler was a co-worker of mine and he sat directly in front of me at an extremely disorganized desk. It drove me crazy so I tried not to look. Tyler spun around in his chair and joined in on the glaring everyone else was participating in.

"I don't know how you do it man. How do you get away with doing whatever the hell you want around here?" His tone was incredulous.

Rather than say because of my consistency, which was the truth, I decided to ruffle his feathers a little more. "Because I know how to get what I want, Ty." I chuckled and he just shook his head before turning back to the work on his desk.

Three hours and a whole lot of internet research later, I was beginning to get annoyed. I couldn't quite find the angle I wanted to take on the story and I kept getting random whiffs of coffee. I had thrown the damn cup away right after I got here in a trash can on the opposite side of the office. It didn't make any sense that the smell was lingering.

I looked down at my notepad for a second and noticed something not quite right out of the corner of my eye. Upon further investigation I got an answer to the bothersome coffee smell. There was a small, brown stain on my white polo. Great. How the hell did that happen?

In a rush the events of this morning came flooding back into my mind; the girl in Starbucks. I had run into her and then been stunned into submission. I suppose I didn't notice the hot liquid hitting my shirt because I was too busy drowning in her eyes.

She had really looked very familiar to me, although I was very sure I had never seen her before. So why did I feel like I knew those eyes, like they had been burned into my mind before our encounter today?

My mind ran in circles for the rest of day at work. I didn't get shit done and before I knew it, it was 5 o'clock and my fellow journalists were packing up to go home. I waved bye to Tyler as I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed for the stairwell. In all, it had been a very frustrating day.

I was exhausted by the time I got home because my brain just wouldn't quit. Jess was busy tonight, thank God, so it was just going to be me. Maybe I could sort this shit out. And by busy I mean she was out screwing some nameless bastard.

I decided frozen pizza was the best dinner I could manage because my current energy level was pathetic. I went to sit down on the couch after I had gotten the pizza into the oven. The TV came on and I zoned out to the sounds of death and destruction presented by my local news.

_I was running through the rain, nearing that same damn door. I raised my fist to knock as her unnerving gaze flashed across my thoughts. _

"Ding," my oven sounded.

I shot up off the couch and blinked a few times, trying to get my bearings. Twice in one day, really? How was anyone supposed to live like this; the girl of my dreams tormenting me in my sleep?

I angrily yanked the pizza out of the oven and tossed the stone onto the stovetop. My only thought as I sliced my meal was "Fuck my life." I was shaking my head back and forth and muttering to myself. Good thing I lived alone because right about now I assumed I looked like a crazy person. I wondered idly if hypnosis made dreams go away. Could be worth a try. My food slid onto a plate and I grabbed a soda from the fridge.

Sitting down on the couch again, I turned up the TV and tried to drown out my depressing thoughts. It didn't work. My mind drifted back to the eyes from the dream and began conjuring up other memories of this random girl; her mouth, her cheeks, her chestnut hair.

The pizza slice was halfway to my mouth when I froze. A thought so shocking, so unreal, hit me like a ton of bricks and I couldn't believe it. The girl from this morning, I knew her eyes and now I knew why. She was the girl from my dream. That's why she was so damn familiar!

"No fucking way," I whispered. The pizza dropped to the plate on my lap. I was stunned. This wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible. I know I have never seen her before, I would have remembered someone that fucking gorgeous. She was something my imagination had conjured up and yet, she was a real person. How had I imagined a real person? It was absolutely insane, but there it was. I was utterly dumbfounded by my discovery.

My dinner got cold and I ended up throwing out most of it. My appetite had simply disappeared and my brain was on overdrive. I decided the only way to know for sure I wasn't making all of this up was to go to bed and hope I had the dream again. I needed to reconcile the image from the dream with the one of the real life woman. Good news, tomorrow was Saturday so no possibility of the alarm clock waking me up before I could say her name. Now if only that asshole at the door would refrain from slamming the door in my face.

I brushed my teeth in a daze and climbed into bed in my boxers. My phone went off on the nightstand before I could get settled and I checked the screen. _Jess._ No, I don't want you to come over and give me whatever disease you just contracted. I ignored her call and rolled onto my side, welcoming sleep for the first time in a long while.

_**I've just seen a face,  
I can't forget the time or place  
Where we just met  
She's just the girl for me  
And I want all the world to see we've met,  
Had it been another day  
I might have looked the other way  
And I'd have never been aware  
But as it is I'll dream of her tonight,  
Falling, yes I am falling,  
And she keeps calling  
Me back again.**_

* * *

**So, new story! I am pretty excited about it. Let me know what you think! I have already started on chapter 2 so it shouldn't take me too long to get it up.**

**Song lyrics are the words that have been bolded and italicized. You will see them in every chapter, it's how I get my ideas. **

**Songs for this chapter were: "Remembering Sunday" by All Time Low and "I've Just Seen a Face" which is a Beatles song but I used the Jim Sturgess version from the movie Across the Universe. **

**Reviews are appreciated!**


	2. A Night to Forget

SO, I suck! Sorry I haven't updated since oooooooooooooo, Jan! RL sucks the big one. Fingers crossed that that never happens again! Hope you like chapter 2!

No worries, my dream girl definitely came to me last night; and the next night. I didn't get a name, as usual, thanks to a door in the face, but I was dead sure it was the girl from Starbucks. I was fucking baffled, still, and I needed to do something to take my mind off of this crap. Enter stage left, my two best friends, Jasper and Emmett. They were just who I needed to help me let loose and forget about the weirdness of my life for a little while. They knew something had been off with me for a while, but something tells me this isn't exactly what they thought I had going on.

I had grown up with both of them in the same town we lived in now, Lewisville, Texas. None of us ever really had the desire to leave because it is the perfect balance between big city and small town. Emmett had married his high school sweetheart Rosalie during our second year at the University of North Texas. Jasper took a liking to my sister Alice during our Freshman year at UNT and they got married right after graduation. Then there was me. I dated a lot and held quite a few steady girlfriends; Tanya, Jess, Lauren, and a few random dates. This was my second time around with Jess, and Lauren had wanted to get married. None of it was ever right though. Nothing ever clicked, it was all just comfortable.

I called Em to see if the little woman would let him come out. Rose kept him on a tight leash. It was annoying as fuck but what could I do about it? Not a damn thing. So I called and prayed she would loosen her hold for a night.

"Hey, Edward!" Emmett said. I could hear gunfire in the back ground and then he yelled, "Fuck!"

I laughed into the phone before I could reply. "Rough game, Em?" He was a die-hard Call of Duty fan and if he was playing, that meant Rose wasn't around. Score one for me.

"Yeah! This twelve year old is kicking my ass, it's pathetic. It has been too long since I played." Emmett sighed into the phone before continuing. "What's up, man?"

"Not a lot. I just have some shit goin' on and I was going to see if you and Jasper wanted to go out tonight. I need to relax."

"Jess out fuckin' around again?" he asked.

"Always, but like I care," I snorted. "It's got nothin' to do with her. I'll tell both of you tonight if you can be granted a night out," I teased him.

"Ha fucking ha, Edward. Rose is out with Alice this weekend at some women's retreat so I am a free agent," he said, a smile in his voice.

"Bad ass. I forgot Ali told me they would be together this weekend. My mind has been…elsewhere. Anyway, you wanna round up Jasper and meet me at my place? We can all go together. And one of you fuckers can be the DD because I need to drink, badly." My tone was desperate.

"Not a problem man," Emmett said, bemused. "You know Jasper will be game. We'll come get you around ten."

"Awesome, see ya'll then," I agreed and we both hung up. This was going to be just what I needed; a night to relax and maybe they could help me sort this mess out. Not that I even knew what needed to be sorted at this point. But those two were like my brothers and I really appreciated their advice, even if they were a little crazy sometimes.

I ran errands most of the day, just trying to pass time and keep myself from going crazy. My brain just wouldn't quit, incessantly going over the girl in my dream and the girl in Starbucks. The same girl. _How was that even possible?_

Emmett had texted earlier to let me know him and Jasper would, indeed, be at my apartment at ten. It was 9:30 now so I decided to have a beer and watch Sport Center. Unfortunately, baseball season had just started and that was all they were talking about. I hate baseball. So, I drank my beer and pretended to watch the TV, all the while actually watching the clock.

I could slowly feel the grip of insanity approaching when there was a loud thump on my door before Em and Jasper charged into the living room.

"Oh, thank God! Ya'll ready?" I asked, even though I wasn't waiting for a reply. They watched with bemused expressions as I made my way to the door.

"You alright, man?" Japer questioned.

"Sure. I am just really ready to go." My keys were jingling in my hand as I stood holding onto the doorknob, waiting for them to go back through the door.

They both chuckled and shook their heads. I followed them out, locking the door behind me.

"Where are we goin?" Emmett asked as we climbed into his jeep. Apparently he was the DD, which made me feel slightly bad for him. Rose's leash and all. But I was too focused on my own need for alcohol to really think about it too much.

"Flying Pig. I just need some liquid relief and to talk. Shit, I sound like a girl." Jasper laughed out loud at my comment and slapped my shoulder from the back seat.

The Flying Pig is a small bar in downtown Lewisville. There's not much to it. A couple juke boxes along one wall, scattered tables, and barstools, and on Saturday nights there is a DJ. Thank God for that or I would be forced on a time travel journey by the old biker guys that liked to hang out in there and pretend they are still in their 20's. There aren't many people our age that hang out here, which is almost a like a break, because I don't have to deal with whores like Jessica, throwing themselves at any guy they think might be alone. I can just sit and drink with my friends and have a good time.

There were quite a few people here tonight and Em pushed through a group to grab the last table. Jasper and I made our way over, apologizing to the disgruntled drinkers for Emmett's behavior.

"Jesus, Em," I chided as we joined him at the table.

"What? It was either shove them out of the way or stand at the bar all night," he explained, hands thrown up in a gesture that said 'What's the big deal?'

I just laughed at him and turned to our waitress as she began her spiel.

"Hey guys, I'm Heidi. What can I get for you?" she asked, while setting down coasters on the table.

I jumped right in, knowing exactly how I wanted to start my night. "I'll take a Dos Equis," I smiled at the waitress. She smiled back and lingered on me before moving. Internally, I rolled my eyes as I sat back in my chair listening to the other two order.

"Alright, Edward, what do you have going on that is so important?" Em asked, leaning over the table like a teenage girl in need of gossip.

I sighed heavily and closed my eyes. "Where to begin," I muttered. "Well…"

I launched into my story, beginning with the repetitive dream that had been haunting me, running through the rain and knocking on doors like a mad man. How I was searching desperately for a girl who I could see with ridiculous clarity. How she wasn't actually a real person and I had kind of thought I was losing it. Then I moved on to the random encounter with the brown-haired beauty.

At this point, Emmett and Jasper looked thoroughly confused. I had jumped from the dream to the run-in with no explanation.

"So, last night when I was eating dinner, I had an epiphany. The girl I ran over is the same damn girl from the dream!" Jasper and Emmett glanced at each other like I had lost my mind. I suppose it did seem that way; how very unfortunate.

"Needless to say, I didn't sleep for shit last night and I am all fucked in the head because of this. Who does this? Who dreams of someone and then meets them?" I was pulling on my hair and sounding slightly hysterical.

"Dude, maybe you just need some sleep. I mean, you could just be putting this girl into a place you needed someone to fill," Jasper suggested.

I was shaking my head before he even finished speaking. "It's her, I swear. I know I sound delusional but I know I'm right."

Jasper's hands went up in defense. "Alright, alright, whatever you say man. So what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know. Not a clue. I was hoping you guys could help me out a little," I confessed.

"I mean, there's not much you can do unless you run into her again. I can't believe you froze, dude," Em finished with a laugh. All I could was glare at him.

"Look, try to forget about it for tonight and just relax. It's not going to help to sit here and flip out about it. You can have fun now, sleep tonight, and worry about this crap tomorrow." Jasper always was the reasonable one.

"I guess you're right," I said with a sigh.

Our waitress had put our drinks down during some point of my sorted story and I hadn't noticed. I glanced down to see the bottle. It was like seeing a lake in the desert and I guzzled half of it in one try. When I looked back up, Emmett's eyebrow was quirked and he was smirking at me.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm stressed out over something ridiculous. I'm allowed to act like a lush for the night."

He just shook his head and smiled at me.

From there, our conversation flowed, funny stories were shared and I was on my way to forgetting for the night. We talked about all the shit we pulled in high school and college and laughed like I hadn't in a long time.

The DJ was playing the most random assortment of music. One minute I heard Ludacris and the next, well, her theme song was playing and she was right there in front of me.

_**She walked in dressed in red**_

_**Didn't take long to lose my head**_

_**I'm not the kind to make up my mind**_

_**To lose sanity; lose my head**_

_**For some girl in red**_

The lyrics screamed at me. She wasn't just some girl though, not some random person I'd bumped into on my morning commute. She was literally the girl of my dreams. There she stood; her back leaned against the bar, a drink in her hand, and her head thrown back with laughter. Her whole face was lit up and her eyes were sparkling. The most incredible red dress cascaded down her body, showing ample cleavage and revealing her sculpted legs. She was gorgeous beyond words.

I don't know how long I stared at her but suddenly there was a hand waving in my face. Annoyance burned in me because my view was being interrupted. I turned my head and there was Emmett with a huge smile and quirked eyebrow.

"Where did you check out to man?" he asked, with amusement clear in his voice.

I could feel myself scowling at him as I listened to Jasper stifle laughter on the other side of me. My head bowed and all I could do was sigh.

"That's her," I told them, gesturing with my head towards the bar.

"Her who?"

_Wait for it…_

"Dream girl?" Emmett asked excitedly when his brain caught on.

_Light bulb!_

I nodded once and stole another glance at her.

"Which one is she?" He was like a kid in a toy store, his head turning from side to side like he couldn't decide where to look first.

"Red dress," I was zoning out again.

I realized through my haze that Jasper and Emmett were being awfully quiet. Prying my eyes away from the girl for a moment to see why they suddenly had nothing to say, I found them in a state similar to the one I had been in. Jaws were hanging loosely with glazed over eyes. I smacked them both on the back of the head.

"THAT'S what you've been dreaming about? No wonder you've been so pissy. I'd want to stay asleep all of the time." Jasper's face and voice were mischievous as he spoke, and I really didn't like it.

"Did you have a raging hard-on every morning? That would have made me grouchy for the past few months. I mean, Jessica doesn't compare to her," Emmett said while gesturing with his thumb. He was grinning at me like an idiot.

"Shut it, assholes." I was now threatening my best friends over some girl I'd never said more than five words to. Hell, I didn't know her name. _Awesome._

Both guys' hands shot up defensively in front of them, palms facing me in surrender.

"Sorry man," Jasper said. "I get it now though. If I were you, I'd be losing it over her too."

I sighed and shook my head, closing my eyes. "It's cool." My hand ran through my hair and I suddenly felt uneasy. "She just pops up in my head now, all day. Ever since I figured out it's the same girl I've been dreaming about, my mind refuses to stray from her for too long. What the hell am I supposed to do? It's not like I can just walk up to her and go, 'Hey, I've been dreaming about you at night. Can I have your phone number?' That screams crazy!" My eyes were pleading with Jasper and Emmett to throw me a damn bone.

Instead, Emmett clapped me hard on the shoulder and I almost spit out the drink I had just taken. "Go talk to her! Clearly, she's not going to just disappear, so go find out her name and ask her out."

I nodded my head thinking he was right and that talking to her like a normal person would be the best approach. Just then, I watched her shoot down a guy before he even had the chance to utter a syllable. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all.

Contestant number was shot down soon after and I decided there was no way she was the typical bar girl. She wasn't a bimbo looking to get laid. This intrigued me. It wasn't a normal occurrence for a girl to be out with a few other girls and not be looking for someone. I watched as she talked to two other girls who were standing at the bar with her. If she wasn't looking for someone maybe it was because she already had someone…

Another wave of jealousy rose and I shook my head. I was being ridiculous. I didn't know her and certainly didn't have a claim on her. I had no right to be jealous of a guy that I wasn't even sure existed. It was pretty likely that he did though. _Snap the fuck out of it, Cullen._

That night at the bar, I saw her turn down three more guys without a second glance. Poor bastards. I felt myself getting anxious and the more I saw, the more I thought she had someone to go home to. Of course she did. Just look at her. No woman that gorgeous was alone; it just didn't make sense.

Jasper and Emmett too me home after I had accomplished an angry, drunken stupor. It certainly wasn't my finest moment as I stumbled through the door of my apartment. I collapsed onto my bed fully dressed because I was too tired to screw with clothing.

The next morning, a wake-up call in the form of a headache greeted me. One so bad I decided last night had been completely stupid and I was too old for this shit. My head felt like it was cracking open a little more with each buzz of my alarm clock. I huffed and groaned as I got out of bed and wearily made my way to the bathroom. How could I possibly be expected to function at work like this? I was so screwed.

My sunglasses were on as I drove to Starbucks, even though it was severely overcast outside. Damnit if the light didn't make me feel like I just might die though. My shuffle from the car into the coffee shop resembled a turtle.

"Hey Edward!" Angela called.

I winced and then put my finger to my lips, suggesting she should shut the fuck up. My sunglasses were still firmly in place.

Handing me my drink, Angela smirked at me before saying, "Rough night?"

"Something like that," I mumbled. I paid and turned to leave before freezing mid-step. Dream girl was lounged before me in an over-stuffed arm chair, looking thoroughly engrossed in her book. I had been so focused on my own self-inflicted misery that I hadn't even considered I might see her again in here this morning.

She looked peaceful, curled up with a very worn copy of _The Great Gatsby_. I was impressed by her choice. It wasn't a magazine, which seemed to be most women's choice for reading material. Besides, that was one of my favorite books.

I stood there like a stalker, watching her read for a few moments. Her face lit up, looked concerned, and then became content as her eyes scanned over the page. It was amazing to watch. I'm not really sure how it happened, but I suddenly found myself walking towards her. I looked like hell so why was I going to go talk to her? Of course, I was nervous as fuck to meet her, afraid she'd be taken or hate me. I found an excuse last night, avoiding doing what I needed to do for my sanity. Here I was now, trying to convince myself this was a bad idea. All I really needed to do was bite the bullet, grow a pair, and say hi.

But what could I possibly say after that? 'Oh, I've been dreaming about you for months even though the first time I've ever seen you was when I almost ran you over in here.' No, that doesn't scream crazy at all.

Just as I was about to veer to the right and head out the door instead of manning up, her eyes shot up, connecting with mine, and she gave me the warmest smile. I couldn't help but smile back and keep drifting in her direction.

I stood there for a few moments, looking like a complete dumbass, before letting out a nervous chuckle. She looked puzzled, and rightly so.

"Um, hey…" I greeted nervously. "I just wanted to apologize again for running over you the other day. I really should have been paying more attention. I was running late for work and rushing."

"Not a problem," she assured with a wave of her hand. "I'm Bella." Her hand was out and waiting expectantly for my own. Finally….a damn name!

I grabbed her hand with more force than I intended and shook, vigorously. "I'm, uh….Edward. It's nice to meet you." Why was I stumbling over my words? Who _is _this person I'm turning into?

"You, too." Then she just stared at me. Because really, what else was there to do? She didn't know me from the next crazy fucker in line at the counter.

"Uh…what are you reading?" _Really? That's the best you could do?_

"Oh!" Her face lit up at the mention of the book. "_The Great Gatsby_. It's one of my favorites. Can you tell?" she asked with a laugh. Bella held up the book, showing the highly cracked spine and the yellowed pages.

I chuckled, "It looks well loved." I had to keep going, keep her talking. "It's one of my favorites, too. What else do you like to read?"

"Oh, well… that is kind of embarrassing. I like _To Kill a Mockingbird_ and _The Outsiders_ a lot. But other than that, I tend to stick to Romance or love stories." She looked down in embarrassment and her cheeks were flaming. How cute is that?

"No worries. At least you read. That says a lot about you," I smiled, trying to reassure her.

Bella looked pleasantly shocked that I wasn't judging her for her choice in reading material. Yeah, I caused that happy look. I felt cocky for it. _It was just a look, dude. Calm the fuck down._

Suddenly, there was a buzzing phone in my pocket, pulling me out of the world of all things Bella and reminding me that I had other shit to do. _Fuck_.

"Well, I have to get going. But I am glad there are no hard feelings from the other day," I smiled down at her, even though I was saying the last damn thing I wanted to.

"Of course not! Maybe I'll see you again soon," Bella suggested. She looked slightly hopeful at the prospect… or maybe I was imagining it.

"I hope so!" _Way to sound like an eager little girl_. "I uh, I'll see you around," I stuttered before pushing out of the door, backwards. Bella had confusion written across her features as I took my last look. I felt like I had to bolt before I sounded any more ridiculous. Really though, I look like a lunatic. Neither option is a prime one when you want a girl to like you.

And what was I going to do now? Great, so I had a name. No number though. Nothing else promising I would ever lay eyes on her again. I suddenly felt very depressed as I climbed into my car.

Besides…I still had a fuckwit for a girlfriend that I needed to get rid of and who seemed completely oblivious to the shitty way I treated her. Not like she didn't deserve that shit. I had to do something about Jess, like, yesterday.

Heaving a sigh, I put the car into first and headed towards work, all the while considering how I was going to break it off with the whore.

_**And I know that when she said she's gonna try  
Well it might not work because of other ties and  
I know she usually has some other ties  
And I wouldn't want to break 'em, nah, I wouldn't want to break 'em  
Maybe she'll help me to untie this but  
Until then well, I'm gonna have to lie too**_

It seems to me that maybe  
It pretty much always means no  
So don't tell me you might just let it go  
And often times we're lazy  
It seems to stand in my way  
Cause no one no not no one  
Likes to be let down  
It seems to me that maybe  
It pretty much always means no  
So don't tell me you might just let it go

SO, let me know what you thought! Reviews make my day!

Songs for this chapter were: "Girl in Red" by the Eli Young Band and "Flake" by Jack Johnson


	3. Excess Baggage

_**What I want from us is empty our minds  
We fake the thoughts, and fracture the times  
We go blind when we've needed to see  
And this leans on me, like a rootless...**_

Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you  
And all we've been through  
I said leave it, leave it, leave it  
There's nothing in you

After seeing Bella again, I decided Jess needed to go. Now. I mean, it's not like I had gotten anywhere this morning with Bella, but I felt like things would be easier if Jess wasn't in the picture. I'd probably still be a blabbering idiot, but at least Jessica would be out of my head, and my life.

I worked through my day, wincing at the light and shushing Tyler, who seemed to be unusually loud today. I hated working on Sundays. The day always dragged and currently feeling like shit wasn't helping anything. I got a text from Jess around lunch, wanting to know what I was going to be doing tonight. Now, normally, this would be the time I would ignore her, roll my eyes, sigh, and try to think of something else I had to do. Today though, she was giving me what I needed; the opportunity to get her out of life.

There is this game in poker called Follow the Queen. My friends and I call it, Bitch'll Get Ya, which makes me think of dear old Jessica. She was sucking the fuckin' life out of me. I was a constant moody bastard because of her, and if I wanted a shot in hell with Bella, well that shit was gonna have to stop. Not to mention, it's just not right to pursue a girl when the previous one is still hanging around. Right? Fuckin' right.

I sent a quick reply to Jess, telling her to come over around 6. I'd break it off with her tonight and maybe get a fresh start with Bella in the morning. Well, assuming I was lucky enough to run into her again. God, I really hope that is how it works, because this morning was…a travesty. I don't even know who that was talking, but it sure as hell hadn't been the normal me.

The short drive home seemed even shorter as I relived my morning stop and shook my head, trying to rid myself of the memories long enough to focus on the coming task. As I pulled into my covered parking space, I felt practically giddy. I don't normally enjoy breaking up with a girl. Like I said, it's just never right. I end up feeling like a villain, a genuine jackass. This one though, this particular break-up, it had to be done and I was to the point of not giving a flying flip about Jess. She had come to mean almost nothing to me, due to her…activities.

There was an unexpected grin on my face as I climbed the stairs to my door and turned the key in the lock. That very same smile faded rapidly into a shocked and dropped jaw. _How the fuck…?_

And that's exactly what came out of my mouth as I gaped at the scene laid out before me.

Jess was standing at the end of my entry hall, hands on hips and one knee bent. She was wearing a see-through robe, an evil smile, and tall as fuck stilettos.

"Hey baby," she greeted. "How was work?"

"How the fuck did you get in here, Jess?" I replied in a dead tone, slightly laced with anger.

Jess put on her sad eyes and jutted out her bottom lip. I was so over the manipulation tactics, though.

"I just wanted to surprise you. You should probably make it harder to find your spare key, though. Under the mat is a little obvious don't you think? Any old idiot could just wander in here."

_Like you…_

"Anyway, I didn't get to see you yesterday so I wanted to surprise you. Well, and maybe have a little fun," Jess finished with a chuckle.

"Well, as _great_ as _that_ sounds," I began, letting the sarcasm run rampant, "that won't be happening. You and I need to have a chat. And you," I pointed, "need to put your damn clothes back on."

I dropped my bag and keys in their designated homes and pushed past Jess. She was still just standing there, gaping at the place I had just vacated. Her eyes began to glass over. _Oh good, tears. I feel SO bad. _

I went into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and when I returned to the living room, Jess had crossed her arms and put on her angry eyes. The rapidly changing expressions were like playing with a Mr. Potato Head, only a lot less entertaining.

Relaxing against the couch cushions, I waited for her to give up on glaring at the back of my head.

_3…2…1…_

_Click, click, click _came the sound of her ridiculous shoes as she crossed the hardwood. Jess stomped to a stop in front of me and huffed loudly, the supreme picture of petulance.

"What the hell is your problem, Edward? I greet you at your door, practically NAKED, and you want to _talk_? We don't ever have sex anymore! I have needs."

I couldn't help but snort at her tirade and she had given me the perfect opening to be a complete asshole. _Thank you_.

"Needs, Jess? What needs? We all know you're out fucking someone else most nights. I think your needs are being met." I was glaring, thoroughly, and the sarcasm was dripping from my mouth. "Mine, on the other hand, are not, and I mean more than just the lack of sex. I don't want to deal with your particular brand of bullshit anymore, Jessica. I'm done. So get your clothes on, gather your shit, and get the hell out." I was yelling by the time I finished and all of the sarcasm was gone.

My chest heaved as I stared at her and waited. I could see my words sink in as she became angrier and angrier. Why couldn't she just take the rejection and leave?

"I don't know WHAT you are talking about. This is crap. You treat me like shit…"

"Oh come off it, Jess," I interrupted.

"No, Edward!" she screamed. "I…I have been with you whenever I could, giving what I could. We've been through so much. The first time you left, I was so broken. You took me back and now you're going to do it again. I don't fucking think so." Jess pointed at me as she spoke, in between flailing her arms around and shaking her head.

"Indignant doesn't look good on you, Jess, and we both know you are full of shit. You turned to that Mike kid as soon as we broke up the first time. I'd be willing to bet that's who you are fucking now, too. Save your lies for someone who cares."

I was standing now, and yelling in her face. She backed away slightly and let out a frustrated scream.

The robe fell to the ground and for half a second I was in disbelief, thinking she was still going to try to have sex with me. Before I could react to that though, her clothes were sliding onto her body and she was muttering to herself. Maybe she really was insane. Her arms were full as she stomped to the front door.

"Fuck you, Edward!"

She was pulling the door closed when I called back, "No thanks, doll. I don't take rides on the 'used' train."

That made me chuckle and I collapsed back onto the couch as she let out a wail and slammed my door.

Yes, I am an asshole. You don't have to tell me that. But you know as well as I do that that shit needed to happen and the bitch had it coming. I'm just glad it could be me who gave it to her. Maybe it _was_ a little harsh….oh well.

I lay on the couch for a while thinking of scenarios of how my next encounter with Bella would go. Every vision I had went in my favor. I couldn't let myself think about a repeat performance of the bullshit I had spewed at her earlier today. No, that had to be forgotten and I had to move past it.

My day dreams ranged from a simple and pleasant conversation to things with a more dramatic flare. Like bringing her back here and barely making it through the front before tearing clothing from the other's body. Oh how I wish that wasn't merely a delusion. I knew it couldn't be like that with her. I would take my time and it would be perfect.

No Bella this morning during my routine stop. That put a slight kink my mood. What if she never came back to that Starbucks again? What the hell was I supposed to do with myself then? Fuck…

Moving the fuck on. I would not be deterred from the new resolve I had and I would NOT think like a woman. Work passed on in its usual fashion; research and goofing off with Tyler. I needed to be finding something to write about for this Sunday's paper…but my research wasn't really turning anything up. I'd start off in the right place, calling various contacts I had and seeing if they had anything for me. But after a phone call or two, Tyler was throwing paper clips at me to disturb my Bella dreaming.

I am so screwed.

Focus, Cullen, focus.

Just then, Cam's door busted open. "Cullen! Get in here, NOW!" Then the door slammed again.

"Success," I breathed.

"Son of a…you have to be kidding me. You've been fuckin spaced out all day. I'm chasing shit down and he calls YOU in there to give a story to. What the hell do I have to get that kinda treatment?" Tyler was pissed, to say the least.

I showed him a shit eating grin and put up my hands in surrender as I walked backwards towards Cam's door. "What can I say? Write better, Ty."

He shot me the finger just as my hand grasped the doorknob. I chuckled and turned around to be greeted by the stern face of my boss.

"You called, Cam," I said as the door shut behind me.

He nodded to one of the chairs in front of his desk and I sat down gingerly.

"The assignment is nothin' huge and it is for this Sunday's paper," Cam told me. "Obama has started rallying for the next election, calling for his voters to help keep his 'change' going." Cam rolled his eyes and actually used air quotes. Cue my smirk.

"Anyway, I just want you to outline what he is asking, why he thinks he needs to be rallying already…etc. Also, I want quotes from people, getting their opinion on his change so far and are they planning on voting for him. Definitely include some people who did and who did _not_ vote for him last time around. Oh, and some first time voters, too."

I nodded my understanding. "Sounds easy enough."

Cam made some unintelligible noises before commenting, "No later than 9 on Saturday morning." With that warning, he went to work, dropping his head to some paper work. That was my dismissal.

This should be an easy assignment, giving me plenty of time to plan my next move for Operation: Dream Girl.

I laughed at my own nerdiness as I sat down at my desk to pop out the introduction for my article.

I skipped out of the office about an hour later, citing the need to do interviews. Tyler bugged me the entire time I was there, wanting to know if I was bribing Cam for stories. Really? I was about to punch him so I ditched. Well, that and I wanted to see if I could run into Bella again.

Starbucks has a wide range of customers. Surely I could find a wide enough demographic of people to interview for my piece, while simultaneously keeping an eye out for Bella.

After my third series of questioning, I wasn't even listening anymore. Number four was currently prattling on about the health care bill, even though I never asked for that information. Some people care a little too much about sharing their opinions.

Just as I was about to tell the woman I had everything I needed, I heard the door open just behind me and I turned to look. I saw long brown locks and big chocolate eyes coming through the door. She looked at me with a shy smile and hurried to the counter. I quickly cut off the woman I was interviewing so I could be free to…I'm not sure what I was going to do but I certainly couldn't do anything with a future MSNBC anchor talking my ear off.

"Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate your help," I smiled and switched off my tape recorder.

"Oh well," she looked rather startled. "You're welcome. I just hope…" her voice trailed off as I turned and walked over to the thankfully empty sitting area. I fumbled to put my tape recorder away as I kept an eye on Bella, waiting for her drink.

I had a sudden thought that I should probably look busy instead of watching her like a complete stalker. Yanking open my bag, I pulled out a notepad and pen and began to scribble so it looked like I was writing. I got lost in pretending to be busy and the next thing I knew, a small sound of throat clearing made my head snap up.

"Um, is it okay if I sit here? I didn't want to disturb you it's just that all of the tables are taken." She smiled at me and I felt stupid with her beauty for a moment.

Attempting to smile back, I shook my head and motioned to the open chair at my left. "You're not disturbing me, no worries."

"Thanks," Bella said.

I continued to smile like an idiot and tried to think of anything to have a conversation about. Bella pulled out a textbook from her bag as she sat down and sipped her iced tea.

"Bella, right?" she smiled in answer. "Do you go to UNT?" I asked.

"Yeah," her smile was bigger now than before. "Do you?"

"No, no not anymore. I graduated from there a few years ago."

With a nod, she responded. "I graduate soon. Unfortunately I waited until the end to take some of my basics," Bella frowned at me adorably as she showed me the cover of her book.

"Oh, astronomy! I took that, too. I loved it. But I can see you don't," I chuckled.

"I guess it's not that bad. I'm just not good at memorizing all of the little things. The labs are pretty fun though, getting to see the planets and stuff."

"The labs were my favorite part, too. But I actually did really well in the class. Did you need any help?"

"Really? Oh that would be wonderful! I just want to pass this and graduate!"

Oh this was going better than I would have thought. Definitely better than before. Laughing, I said "I understand. "When do you want to…get together?" I suddenly felt slightly embarrassed asking that question. It sounded more serious than I had meant for it to.

"Oh," she blushed. "Well, how about Thursday night? I don't have class or work that night. Are you available then?"

Her blush was beautiful and I was slightly unsteady. "Uh…yeah. Thursday sounds great."

We smiled at each other for a few moments before someone dropped something in the background and broke the spell.

Bella looked down at her book for a second and I realized I was probably interrupting her study time.

"Well, I'll just let you read then. Do you want to just meet here on Thursday?" I asked.

"Sure, that sounds good. Um, is 7 alright?"

"I'll be here," I assured. And I'll work on a phone number then, too.

Bella smiled up at me as I got ready to leave. "I'll see you then." She waited a bit before adding, "Bye, Edward."

I felt my heart speed up with the knowledge that she, too, had remembered my name. I'd made an impression. Well, of course I had. I had been a blubbering idiot that day. No matter, it was moving along now and that was all that mattered.

With one last smile, I said goodbye. "Goodbye, Bella."

_**I can't sleep now, no, not like I used to  
I can't breathe in and out like I need to  
It's breaking ice now, to make any movement  
What's your vice, you know that mine's the illusion  
And all at once I can help you out  
I'll be what you need  
Goodbye apathy, so long apathy**_

**A/N:** I finally posted! Wooo! No excuse for it taking this long, but I will say….I have been short on inspiration.

Songs for this chapter are: "Rootless Tree" by Damien Rice and "Goodbye Apathy" by OneRepublic

Please, please review! I would love to hear what you think about these two so far!

Also, I posted a one-shot a few days ago. It's called Amazing and I would appreciate it if you would check it out and leave me your thoughts there, too! Thanks!


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